Augustine, Saint, De Diversis Quaestionibus Ad Simplicianum

i. Quanquam iti hoc facto potest esse alius facilior exitus et expeditior intellectus, ut non vere spiritum Samuelis excitatum a requie sua creJamus, sed ala. quod phantasma, et imaginariam illusionem diaboli machinationibus factam, qnam propterea Scriptura nomine Samuelis appellat, qnia solent imagines rerum carum nominibus appellari, quarum imagines sunt. Sicut omnia quæ pinguntur atque finguntur ex aliqua materie metalli aut ligni, vcl cujusque 1 rei apta; ad opera hujusmodi, quaeque eliam videntur in somnis, et omnes fere imagines, carum rerum quarum imagines sunt, appellari nominibus solent. Quis est enim qui hominem pictum dubitet vocare hominem ? Quandoquidem et singulorum quorumque picturam cum aspicimus, propria quoque nomina incunctanter adhibemus : velut cum intuentes tabulam aut parietem, dicimus, Ille Cicero cst, ille Sallustius, ille Achilles, ille IIcctor, hoc flumen Simois, illa Roma; cum aliud nihil sint quam pictæ imagines. Unde Cherubim cum sint coelestes potestatcs, ficta tamen I ex metallo, quod imperavit Deus, super arcam Testamenti, magnæ rei significand;e gratia, non aliud quam Cherubim illa quoque figmenta vocitantur (Exod. xxv, 18). Item quisquis videt somnium, nun dicit, Vidi imaginem Augustini aut Simpliciani; scd, Vidi Augustinum aut Simplicianum :cum eo tempore quod tale aliquid vidit, uos ignoraremus; usque adco manifestum eSI, non ipsos homines, sed imagines corum videri. Et Pharao spicas se dixit vircisse in somnis ct boves (Gen. XLI, 17-28), noh spicaruin ant bouni imagines. Si igitur liquido constat nominibus earum rcrum quarum imagines sunt, easdein imagines appellari ; non mirum est quod Scriplura dicit Samuelem visum, etiamsi forte imago Samuelis apparuit, machinamento cjus qui transfigurat se velut augelum lucis, et ministros suos velut ministros justitiæ (II Cor. XI, i 4, 15).

2. Although in this matter there may be another, easier way out and a readier understanding: that we should not believe that the spirit of Samuel was truly roused from its rest, but [that it was] some phantasm and imaginary illusion produced by the devil’s contrivances, which Scripture calls by the name of Samuel for this reason, that images are usually called by the names of the things of which they are images. Just as all things that are painted or fashioned out of some material, of metal or wood or any substance suited to works of this kind, and also those which are seen in dreams, and nearly all images, are usually called by the names of the things of which they are images. For who is there who would hesitate to call a painted man a man? Since indeed, when we look at the picture of any particular person, we unhesitatingly apply their own names as well: as when, looking at a panel or a wall, we say, ‘That is Cicero, that is Sallust, that is Achilles, that is Hector, this river is the Simois, that is Rome,’ though they are nothing other than painted images. Hence, although the Cherubim are heavenly powers, yet those figures too, fashioned of metal over the ark of the Testament as God commanded, for the sake of signifying a great thing, are called nothing other than Cherubim (Exod. 25:18). Likewise, whoever sees a dream does not say, ‘I saw an image of Augustine or of Simplician,’ but ‘I saw Augustine or Simplician,’ though at the time he saw such a thing we knew nothing of it; so plain is it that it is not the men themselves but their images that are seen. And Pharaoh said that he had seen ears of grain and cows in dreams (Gen. 41:17–28), not images of ears of grain or of cows. If, therefore, it is clearly established that images are called by the names of the things of which they are images, it is not surprising that Scripture says that Samuel was seen, even if perhaps an image of Samuel appeared, through the contrivance of him who transforms himself as into an angel of light, and his ministers as into ministers of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14–15).